God Comes Amidst Chaos

December 21, 2010

Take a close look at the manger scene Christians recreate every year at this time. Everything is neat, clean, clothes properly pressed and starched, all in a little shed outside the building. It’s so quiet and peaceful.

But read Luke 1 again. And understand how people lived. The “stable” was the first floor of a multi-story house. It has animals running around. It smells. It’s dirty and dusty. Bethlehem is packed with people in town for the census registration. It’s likely that the house has wall-to-wall people. So, people are going in and out of the first floor constantly.

Mary had just survived a donkey ride from Galilee to Bethlehem. Pregnant. Uncomfortable. She’s now among Joseph’s relatives. You know, second cousins once removed–that sort of thing. Her family and friends are back home in Galilee. The very people who would surround her with love and assistance at the time of a birth are not there. And giving birth is a dangerous occupation.

The baby comes. Who knows how long the labor was! Everyone is exhausted, yet overjoyed that the baby is healthy and the mother survived. Especially since she isn’t even married, yet. And then, the door bursts open and a group of shepherds rush in.

Nobody knew who these guys were. Shepherds are dirty. They smell. They are rough characters who speak roughly. What in the world are they doing there? They say something about seeing a vision from God and wanted to see the new baby who would be the Messiah.

God doesn’t need pristine surroundings, quiet and reverence to enter our lives. He can enter, and usually does, in the midst of busyness, yes, even chaos. He takes us by surprise. What’s this? Oh, it’s God. He showed up. He’s with us.

Tags: ,
Posted in Christianity | 3 Comments »

Patience When Stressed

December 16, 2010

This is the time of the year when we are all especially stressed. More so if you have young children in the house. It seems as if there are more meetings and events to attend than there are days to do them. You’re worried about buying the right gifts. Worried about paying for them. Kids are jumpy with anticipation. It’s year end and you’re stressed at work.

Believe it or not, evidently many parents resort to feeding their children various types of drugs to calm them or put them to sleep. Ranging from cough medicine to Ritalin. Check out this CNN news item. This is scary.

It is sometimes the hardest thing for a person to do to handle emotions when stressed then hit with just one more demand from a child, a boss, a co-worker, the pastor. Even Jesus snapped a couple of times when the stress and demands got overwhelming (think cursing the fig tree, for example).

So, if we can’t be perfect, we can try. And teach others. Learning to calm yourself when you pray by focusing on slow and regular breaths is an excellent training regimen for calming your outlook on life. Try looking at yourself from outside yourself when you are in situations. Is it a pretty sight? Then try training yourself to take a deep breath and exhale slowly before responding.

Sometimes you just need to regain your perspective on life. You only have small kids for a few years of your life. It’s over before you know it. In the overall scope of your life, you can handle the stress for a few years. It’s better for you. It’s better for those around you. It’s one of the fruits of the Spirit–patience. So easy to say. So hard to do. It takes training and perspective.

Tags:
Posted in Living | Leave a Comment »

Pointing the Way to Advent

December 15, 2010

We just had to drive to Chicago for a holiday gathering of my company and then some meetings (for me) and shopping (for my wife). The trip was Tuesday just two days after a nasty snowstorm caused my daughter and her husband much stress and an extra two hours on their trip to the Chicago area on Sunday.

I was looking for guidance on the best route. I needed an authoritative voice with current information. So, I did what any self-respecting geek would do–I went online. My anticipation of a good trip was enhanced by knowing the correct route to avoid more snow.

The Jewish people had been living in anticipation of a new leader for hundreds of years. Yet, when he came, many missed it. But a group of scientist/philosophers (often called “wise men”) from another land read the signs, listened to the Spirit and followed the route laid out for them to the birth place.

A group of shepherds were open to the leading of God. When angels spoke to them, they were prepared. They listened, and then they acted. They also followed the route laid out for them to the birth place.

Where is God leading you this Advent? Are you reading the signs and listening to the Spirit?

Tags: , ,
Posted in Christianity | Leave a Comment »

In the image of God

December 13, 2010

In Genesis we are taught that humans were created in the image of God. Walter Hilton (“The Ladder of Perfection” Book Two) describes something of the process. It is our soul that is image of God, not our physical body. As we celebrate the anticipation of the coming of Jesus who became the “pioneer of our faith” as the writer of Hebrews puts it, how do we go about reflecting the image of God in our lives?

There are three ways, but the third is impossible in this life–the perfect reflection of God. But first there is faith. You have to recognize and acknowledge Jesus as the leader who shows the way. This is just the first step–a crucial one, but just a step after all.

Second is what Hilton calls feeling. I’m not sure what I’d call it in 21st Century English rather than his 14th Century words. But he explains that this experience lies in overcoming the selfish and sinful desires of our “flesh” and coming to live in the spiritual realm that Jesus showed–and were taught by the early leaders and handed down even to this day. This same spiritual life existed before Jesus–it’s just that humans never constructed a way for everyone to have the opportunity to participate in the life of the spirit. Even for Hilton, who wrote to contemplatives who usually gathered into communities apart from society at large.

We teach today that anyone can and should seek to achieve the spiritual life that Jesus called us to live. As we live in Advent and then celebrate the birth, we need now, no less than during Lent, to seek the life that allows us to reflect the glory of God. Even if that reflection is a little imperfect. Put aside those desires especially fanned into emotional flame by intense marketing this month and seek to reflect God’s image of true life in the Spirit.

Tags: ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Why are you pursuing Christmas

December 11, 2010

Have you thought about why you are rushing around, decorating, buying, composing wish lists, playing special music? Do you just do it? Of course, this assumes you are actually celebrating Christmas, I guess.

Walter Hilton has this great illustration in “The Ladder of Perfection.” A hound that runs after the hare only because he sees other hounds run, when he is weary, he stays and rests, or turns home again; but if he runs because he sees or is in view of the hare, he will not spare for weariness till he has caught her.

If you are going through all the effort and emotional swings of Christmas only because all your family and friends are or “it’s the right thing to do,” then you will be exhausted and weary. But if all you do is in the context of celebration of Jesus’ coming, if you devote this time as a period of renewing your focus on Jesus, if you share your joy, then you’ll not only survive the month, but you’ll thrive. And bring others along with you.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Christianity | Leave a Comment »

Preparing for Jesus’ Arrival

December 10, 2010

Another popular phrase in Christian preaching circles in December is either advice or admonition to prepare your heart for the coming of Jesus. There is a sense that this is a remembrance. We remember and celebrate the event of Jesus birth as a human in Bethlehem 2013 years ago–more or less.

Try out another sense of what it means for Jesus’ coming. Every new person who is born every day since that first event must welcome Jesus into its being. Some of us have already experienced that dwelling within us of God’s Spirit. But many have not. Some think they have, but are fooling themselves. That is the most lamentable.

But all of us must seek the renewal of Jesus coming into our lives or the expectation of meeting Jesus fresh for the first time. There is an ancient saying that a jar is not useful unless it is empty. The saying must be taken in the spiritual sense. If your mind and life are full of plans for what food you’ll be preparing for family celebrations, with what presents you must give to others, with what presents you wish to receive, with many cares about finances or conflicts, then there is no room for Jesus to enter. If you have something valuable to store, first you must empty a container before you can store the valuable thing.

Just so with Jesus. First, you must quiet your mind and emotions. Seek a quiet place, even if only for 15 minutes at a time. Read something from the Bible. Sit quietly, listen to your breathing and let thoughts, cares and worries drift in and out of your mind until you are finally empty. As you sit quietly in expectation you are now prepared for Jesus to make room in your inner life.

As you learn to seek quiet, you will experience what the Spirit can do for you. You will be refreshed. You will also gain perspective on life. And you will be able to enter the busy world with the attitude of serving in the name of Jesus–the very servant leader Jesus trained his first disciples to be.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

Advent or anticipating Jesus entering our life

December 9, 2010

I was listening to Bill Hybels’ talk from last Sunday this week on a podcast. He talked about meeting a new attendee at Willow Creek. The man was enthused about the worship, the service opportunities, the people. There was just one problem, he didn’t know about “this Jesus / God thing.”

How to understand the total significance of Jesus is a stumbling block to many. The concept of the Trinity (where one God is manifest in three ways–Father, Son (Jesus) and Holy Spirit) is not specifically Scriptural and somewhat “intellectual.” It’s hard to understand. To think that Jesus was at the same time God and a human is hard to understand.

That’s the problem. Sometimes we think too much. Our rational mind is best used to harness our emotions and keep us on the right path. But when we try to use our rational, thinking mind to analyze spiritual matters, the effort is less than satisfactory. Some really great thinkers, Hegel for example, tried to wrap the Spirit up in a Rational explanation. The results were devastating.

Early followers of Jesus did not comprehend Jesus’ meaning until after he died and left them in the body. Just as he predicted about leaving the Spirit behind for them, his body was a stumbling block. But when each follower was forced to develop in the faith on his or her own, they experienced Jesus as never before.

Do you know people who say all the right words yet their lives do not appear to be unlike any other people? Have you run across people who can’t express what they have experienced clearly or with the “right” words, yet their lives reflect the experience of Jesus within their souls?

For us, Jesus is not a theory or intellectual challenge. Jesus is actually an experience. When you experience Jesus/God/Spirit directly, it changes your life. If you are still hung up on intellectual ponderings, stop. Don’t be like the Apostle Paul who had to be blinded to make him stop his busy life and actually listen to God. You can do that now. Investing as little as 15 minutes a day in silence focusing on God, you can eventually experience Him and it will change your life.

Don’t get concerned about understanding “this Jesus/God thing” in your head. Quiet your mind and soul and let the experience of Jesus enter. It works.

Tags: ,
Posted in Christianity, Spirituality | Leave a Comment »

All about Jesus or all about me

December 8, 2010

At Christmas time, we often hear reminders of focusing on the reason for the celebration. But that admonishment may be too vague. What is the reason for the celebration?

I’ll never forget the sign I saw in northern Indiana once, “Keep Christ in Xmas.” I don’t know if they were being cute or if they ran out of room. But I’d have preferred that they spell out what they were talking about.

I’m reading Walter Hilton right now. “The Ladder of Perfection.” Interestingly, the topic of the day was the seven deadly sins, first of which is pride. It is amazing how pride can get in our way. The way Hilton describes it, pride is thinking too much about me. I’ve heard people in the very way they describe events that it’s all about them. Listen. They’ll say, “they did it to me” or “she ignored me” or “the company did this to me” when, in reality, those other people probably didn’t really care about them.  Is your thinking about what you’ll give? What you’ll get? What you’ll do?

I’m reading more and more often about substituting service for giving and getting material gifts. Do it in the spirit of serving others. It’s not you, it’s them. Then, don’t boast about it.  Giving extra to missions it good. At this time of life, we are financially blessed. We can give to people around the world and spread much good. Make micro-loans through Kiva, or support Compassion International, World Vision or a local missionary who does good deeds to people and spreads the word of Jesus.

Make Christmas merry for others. And meditate on just what Jesus’ coming means for you.

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Christianity | Leave a Comment »

Advent or Christmas Season

December 1, 2010

Are you in the Advent season? Or are you in the Christmas season? Another way to look at this thought is–are you recreating the anticipation of Jesus’ birth that signals the advent of a new movement of God’s Spirit in the world, or are you caught up in nostalgia and gift-giving just to be giving gifts–or even in gift-getting, hoping to get lots of stuff.

It’s the time of year for pastors and teachers to talk about remembering Christ. But a Sunday sermon or lesson is not enough. Then we go out and immediately become inundated with advertising seeking emotional levers in our souls to get us to buy more stuff.

What began as a simple way to remember how visitors left gifts for Jesus has become an all-out effort fraught with worry and anxiety. Part of the trouble is–at least in American society–we all have lots of stuff. What we should be doing is throwing stuff out and simplifying and uncluttering our lives. Instead, we’re asking for more stuff. Heck, even I got more stuff. I’m the owner of a new Apple iPad–my early Christmas present. I’ll use it as a tool for work, but still, I could just use what I already have.

Medieval English mystic Walter Hilton said, “For no man can be spiritually healed unless he wants and desires to be spiritually healthy.” The attributes of focus and placing attention on the right things have become my themes lately (will be tomorrow’s subject when I meet with my new boss at the magazine). Hilton states a psychological truth. You have to want to be healed before you can be–at least regarding spiritual things, and as we now know, addictions as well.

Get yourself a little reminder to keep with you that you can touch and see to remind you that you desire to put your attention on the coming of Jesus in your life and push the gift-giving frenzy back to its proper place. Do something for someone or some group. Give service, honor Jesus. Simplify. You’ll have a more enjoyable December.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Christianity, Living | Leave a Comment »

Forget Goals, Find Your Passion

November 27, 2010

I returned to the US from Germany just in time for Thanksgiving. Sorry, I didn’t do an obligatory post on thanks. When I’m traveling–especially to these conferences–that extra hour to work on one of these posts just seems hard to come by. Plus I’m working on recovering my stamina after a fairly bad muscle pull Sept. 1 that but me on two weeks of bed rest, a week of physical therapy before I started a series of 6 trips in 9 weeks. In December, it’s two trips to Chicago and a trip to Tennessee/Florida over Christmas.

If I made goals like all the self-help gurus tell you to do, I’d make a goal to come up with a better schedule of how to work on the road. But that leads to my thought for day. Tomorrow is the beginning of Advent. This is a season of preparing for the future. Many people use this time in their personal lives to take stock of what they have done and think about what they’d like to accomplish. Then they make goals (sometimes called “New Year’s Resolutions”) to focus them for the coming year.

The church had a future-looking committee many years ago. As people talked, it became obvious that there were many people with many great ideas for ministries. But the committee leadership was fixated on developing a five-year plan of goals. (Or, as I have been known to observe–this form of planning worked so well for the Soviets…) But a new pastor came to town who did one pretty simple thing–he gave people permission to pursue their passions. And, wow, what a change.

So, here is some practical advice for you for the new year. Or the rest of your life. Don’t set goals. Find your passion and accomplish what you want in life while having fun doing it. My favorite lifestyle writer, Leo Babaueta, says this:

Goals take credit for our accomplishments. We give them a lot of credit for our accomplishments, but they didn’t do the work. They might have given us a direction, but in the end, the work is done on a daily basis. Goals also require that we do a lot of admin work — assess and report on how we’re doing with our goals, etc.

But remove goals from the picture and look at the gritty details of how work gets done and accomplishments happen:

  • You get excited about something. Sometimes that’s through setting goals, but it could be other ways: inspiration from someone else doing something, setting a challenge for yourself, joining a group doing something exciting, or just waking up and wanting to do something great. Or you put on ‘Hey Mama’ by Black Eyed Peas and start shaking your booty and want to get moving.
  • You take action.
  • Maybe you report your new thing to others — on your blog or Twitter or Facebook or an online forum, or just telling your friends.
  • You might make it a part of your life for a little while.
  • You take more action.
  • You tell people about how you’re doing.
  • Pretty soon you’ve done something amazing.
  • Notice that goals are only one way to do this.

So, here you go. I wish you all the best in finding your passion while you meditate on Jesus’ coming during this Advent season. You might spend the month asking what he wants you to be doing. Oh, yes, but then you have to listen. Then, do.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Living | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »